middleofsomewhere | Onward: Red

Entry tags:

Onward: Red

They are in the vortex for what seems like forever but is perhaps not that much time at all. They do not hunger, they are tired enough that it feels like they have been struggling against the chaos of the sea for a few hours yet how much time they have been flying in truth, is unknowable.

They emerge, pushing up out of the vortex. There were four rockpools and now, as they land on a vast plain they will find they have all arrived at the same destination.

The sky is black, pin pricked with stars and in the distance, on the horizon there is a glowing white light. The light is bright, bouncing off the ripples of water and giving them light to see.

For it is water they stand on, a vast ocean, inky black in the darkness. They stand on it with ease and yet, if they wish, they can dive down into it. The water is clear and yet they will find no plants or fish.

Monsters though, they will find a plenty. As the voidtreckers arrive, their footsteps rippling on the sea, they are joined by creatures. Giant crabs, shark head beasts, water snakes. They stand between the voidtreckers and the light on the horizon.

Somewhere in this sea it seems there is a giant squid, as tentacles reach out of the water to grab the ankles of the void warriors and pull them down to the inky depths.

The voidtreckers feel a pull towards the light, yet the horizon seems endlessly far away, getting no closer as they fight their way towards it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Duo?"

Nerdanel stumbles out behind him.

"What... what is this?"

A dark world. A light in the distance. And...

"Monsters." She says grimly, and moves to stand beside him, reaching for the obsidian knife that was her husband's first gift to her on the train.

Duo immediately threw a hand out to steady Nerdanel and shot a quick glance to where she was looking.

"Yeah... I dunno what's going on but looks like we're going through those..." And by those he meant a damn horde of monsters that were waiting to rip them a new one. And he really, really didn't like standing on the water as he was. He wasn't Jesus. He had no reason to be standing on water. But Duo was trying his hardest not to think about it too much.

He caught sight of Nerdanel pulling out a knife and flashed her a big grin. "... You up for clearing a path through the nightmare fuel?"

Her answering smile is shaky.

"I am not the warrior my family are. But I will do my best."

Duo winked. "No worries. I've got your back."

Though part of him wished she would hang back, he wouldn't stop her if she wanted to fight. He'd rather she did that with someone than without. And, he figured, others would soon join them.

So he flashed a feral grin and he went storming on ahead, moving at a jog toward the closest monster who had finally taken notice of him.

He readied his daggers and laughed. "Come and get it, boys~!" And then he slashed. He wasn't fancy, that would have required more energy than he was willing to exert. He struck with precision and with an aim to kill as quickly as possible before darting to the next.

"Thank you Duo."

She nods, following behind him. She has never killed outside of hunting, has Nerdanel, never gone to war. But Duo... Duo she is very fond of.

(The phrase Mama bear comes to mind.)

She follows behind him and watches his back, and the first time something tries to reach for him, she cuts it's throat.

Damn but he wished he had a gun. This would have been so much easier with a gun. A machine could would be better. Hell, a rifle would also have been sweet! He could have hung back with Nerdanel and picked the beasties off from a distance without needing to get up close and personal.

But times they did suck, and all he had were the daggers he'd found on that other planet, and he needed to make them work for him.

So he ducked, he dodged, he used his speed to the best of his abilities and slowly, slowly they made forward progress. But for every one he and Nerdanel took down several more seemed to appear.

She's faster than a human would be, stronger too. But Nerdanel really isn't the warrior of the family. She's tiring, and she really doesn't know how to fight - all she has is the instinct to protect.

It only takes a moment, and she stumbles.

Duo didn't have any supernatural or superhuman abilities, just the training he was given and the drive to succeed.

He had been trying his best to keep an eye on Nerdanel as he moved through the creatures. But of course it would be the moment he took his eyes off of her that the worst happened. He heard, more than saw, when she went down. He spun around and rushed to her side, slicing through the tentacle of some creature rising up to try and pull her down.

"Here, grab onto me.." He shoved one of his daggers into his belt and knelt down to try and help Nerdanel.

"We'll just run. Think you can keep up?" He'd carry her if he had to.

She's shaken, the tentacle that grabbed her has left welts - but she smiles and nods, pulling herself to her feet.

"Yes. Keep going, Duo, I'm well."

Well enough, anyway. Anything else can wait for afterwards.

To hell with that. Once Nerdanel was on her feet, Duo ducked under her arm and wrapped his own about her waist.

"Just run. Don't look back!" And, suiting actions to words, Duo took off with Nerdanel. He'd get her to that damn light up ahead, one way or another.

"Duo?" She looks startled, but nods, running with him.

"I'm alright, pitya." She promises as they run. "Truly. Don't worry about me, Duo."

Duo let out a burst of laughter and dared to spare Nerdanel a quick glance and a flash of a wide grin.

"Like hell! Can't be doing that, sweetheart! We're running and we're not stopping and if you can't keep up I'll damn well carry you if I gotta! But no way I'm leaving you behind!" Not in the middle of all those monsters. No way, no how. If she'd been back with the others or if anyone else had been there to keep her safe he would have been alright with it. But just the two of them? No. He didn't leave anyone behind. That wasn't how Duo Maxwell rolled.

So he ran, his arm tight around Nerdanel's waist and slashed out with his other hand, giving the creatures who might have wanted to take a shot at them rethink their life choices.

"I'll keep up." She promises. "Use both your hands, darling. Don't get hurt because of me."

Getting hurt was the least of his worries and nothing he cared about. But if she was sure... Duo eased his arm from around her middle as they ran, but he didn't take his other dagger, just in case.

"If you say so, 'Danel! I'll trust you." He gave a laugh again and then turned his attention to a tentacle reaching out to trip him up and sliced it cleanly in half. Somewhere something screeched and Duo laughed more.

She draws a breath and hides the wince. Ribs, at the least. But if she cannot touch the world.... there are still some small things she can do...such as lock away all her pain behind walls, so that she can run without faltering.

She'll pay for this later, of course, but...

She follows in Duo's footsteps, guarding his back.

His back? Oh no no, Duo matched his pace with hers. He wouldn't risk running and then turning to find he'd left her behind. He'd never forgive himself. Duo would rather slow his pace down to hers than risk ever leaving her behind.

And it was a good thing he had, since he was able to reach up and grab ahold of a tentacle that had reached out for Nerdanel. He grabbed it and spun around to slash it with the dagger in his other hand. Then with a pissed off growl he whipped the end of the tentacle at a stupid shark head that was running his way.

He did have to split off from Nerdanel then. He launched himself at the creature, slamming into its chest with his knees and sending it down into the water below them. It hit with an almighty splash and Duo immediately stabbed his dagger into it's throat. These things were assholes. He needed it incapacitated as fast as possible.

............FEANARO SHE WANTS TO KEEP THIS ONE PLEASE.

"Duo!" She gasps as he launches himself off, racing to fend off the hungry arms reaching for him as he goes.

"Keep running!" He yelled back, already yanking the bloodies dagger from the thrashing creatures neck. Duo rolled out of the way just as a tentacle grabbed for him and got Sharky instead. He came up, bouncing to his feet and turning fast to slash at another tentacle. Surely these squid things had a finite amount of them?

He cursed under his breath and just turned to run, chasing down Nerdanel. "You alright?" He asked, a little on the breathless side now. He flashed her a crooked grin. "Y'know, I'm thinkin of giving this planet a bad review. The natives suck!"

Nerdanel swats a reaching tentacle and takes a few steps, but she waits for Duo, all the same.

"I'm well. You?" She is NOT leaving without you.

"Peachy." Duo tapped her elbow to get her moving again. Standing in one place was not doing them any favours. Nor was telling her the damn shark had caught him, but it was fine. It was time to use it to his advantage. The pain forced him to move and carry on running.

"I'll just be glad when we can get outta this nightmare!"

~~She is going to be most upset when she finds out~~

"You and I both!" She agrees, keeping pace with him. "Eru willing, we will find the lost, as well."

"Fingers crossed!" No way he was going to pray, clearly there wasn't a god looking down on them right now. If there was they'd be nice enough to make a path for them so they didn't have to run themselves ragged just to get to the light at the end of the tunnel. A light he was damn sure was just an angler fish, because it never seemed to get closer no matter how much they ran toward it.

"Let me know if you need to stop." She orders - elves, she knows, usually have better stamina, and she doesn't know enough humans to judge, yet.

"Watch out!" She ducks another reaching tentacle.

Duo did more than duck, he dived under it, rolled and hopped up in time to turn and slash at the tentacle like it was his damn job. He was getting seriously tired of the stupid things!

"Just run, I can keep going!" And he could. He would. He had no choice. They needed to get to that light, one way or another.

She nods and runs with him, locking away all thought of pain or weariness, focused only on getting Duo safely to that light.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Onward: Red

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

how far should we drag this lol

We could drag it out forever! But we could wrap it here if you'd like?

lol I suppose we should!